Uber Unveils First Prototype For Flying Taxi Service

Earlier today, Uber announced new details surrounding their highly ambitious air taxi service. This new service looks to bring fully-autonomous air taxis to the ride sharing platform. To some, this may come as a surprise. Most of the news stories surrounding the company have focused on existing issues rather than new services. One major concern is how Uber’s mobile software can be used to track all kinds of user data, much like a cell phone spy app. That being said, Uber has been working on this new service for a few years now. And they’re finally ready to show off their prototypes to the public.

Uber And The Future Of Urban Transportation

Uber is definitely a household name in the ride sharing business. But with increasing competition from rival brands, such as Lyft, the company needs to introduce new services to stay ahead. This is where Uber’s air taxi service comes in. By offering a brand new form of urban transportation, the company can differentiate itself from the rest of the competition.

This new ride service will be based around what Uber is calling the “VTOL.” The VTOL stands for vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (or what normal people call a helicopter.) Reporters over at CBS News were given the first exclusive look at the VTOL prototype. According to the report, the vehicle will take off from rooftop sky ports placed throughout various cities. Each vehicle will hold a maximum of four passengers and will run completely on battery power.

The current plan is to have Uber users request a VTOL via the smartphone app. Once a user has requested an air ride, the app will show the closest rooftop sky port with an available vehicle. At first, these vehicles will be operated by experienced pilots. But over time, the pilots will be phased out for an autonomous control system.

What do you think of this new air taxi service? Would you like to fly around in one of these VTOLs? Let us know in the comments below.